


Velveteen

by AtalantaPendragonne



Series: Matzoh Without Wheat [3]
Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Chanukah, Chanukah fluff, Gen, Janice is Jewish, Janice is a wheelchair user, Steve is a great stepdad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-18
Updated: 2015-01-08
Packaged: 2018-03-02 02:13:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2795948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AtalantaPendragonne/pseuds/AtalantaPendragonne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Janice has a Chanukah sleepover.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

On the first night of Chanukah, Janice had a slumber party.

It was well-timed; Megan's family celebrated Yule and Patrice's family celebrated Christmas, and Edmond's family had been in Night Vale since the Founding and whatever they celebrated, it wasn't spoken of. But they were all days away and they sat in a circle in the Carlsberg kitchen, wreathed in the smell of Steve's slow-cooking brisket and joining forces to make latkes. Edmond chopped the onions because he was the only one who could do it without tearing up, Janice mixed the batter, Patrice grated the potatoes, and Megan squeezed the potato shreds dry with her strong hands.

"Your kitchen looks so shiny and special now," Patrice said. "But I bet now they remodeled it so you can get at everything, you'll have to cook all the time and you'll get sick of it." She tempered the remark with a wink; she hadn't meant to be mean.

"I like learning to cook," Janice said with a proud tilt of her chin. "And it's fun to learn to make new things. I even got my Cooking badge! I mean, this is so cool, we're making food that didn't exist before."

"I like learning to cook too," said Megan. She was still trying to pitch her speech in a way that made her comfortable; she tended to speak softly in a deep voice and it didn't quite satisfy her yet."It's fun, doing this together."

Patrice nodded. "I don't usually like to cook but it's fun with friends." She passed a bowl of grated potato to Megan and realized she'd finished her part in the task, and rinsed out the grater before putting it in the dishwasher. "And it sounds good, kind of like hash browns."

"I've never cooked before," Megan said, as Edmond passed her the onions and Janice passed her the batter. "Is is silly that I think it's exciting? I mean, just stirring it makes it start to look like food."

"My mother says cooking was the first kind of alchemy," Edmond told her earnestly. "Most people would say that was exciting. I'm just looking forward to trying them."

Janice was beaming with pride at being able to get down a frying pan and set it on the stove without help. Getting the kitchen remodeled was the best gift ever. When Steve acted apologetic that it couldn't be a surprise she couldn't help laughing, and it was still new enough that everything she cooked was exciting. Edmond passed her the oil and when it was nice and hot Patrice ladled the dense latke batter in small portions as Janice sat by with a spatula.

"Does it always smell so good?" Megan asked eagerly.

"I think you kids have fixed something extra-special there," said Steve from the kitchen doorway. They'd been too focused on cooking to notice him approach. "The brisket should be ready too, go wash your hands."


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone gathers around for dinner, and Megan has a plan.

The table was crowded for five, but only a little. The latkes were steaming on a platter with bowls of sour cream and applesauce beside them, the brisket showed a trace of pink inside as Steve sliced it into narrow portions, a dish of broccoli made sure everyone's parents would be satisfied that their children had been served a healthy meal, and there was even a loaf of oat-flour challah Steve and Janice had baked together earlier in the day. Megan and Patrice watched closely to see how Janice and Steve ate their latkes, not wanting to make a mistake with the unfamiliar dish, but Edmond dove in confidently, and soon everyone was happily devouring the fruits of their labors.

"This is really good bread, Mr.. Carlsberg," Patrice said. "I miss wheat but this is almost as good."

"Megan's parents have some good recipes too," Edmond said, "but I think I like this better."

Megan looked a little uneasy at the mention of her parents, and Steve gave her a kindly smile. "So, Megan, I heard you were getting more tattoos?"

She'd had very little experience controlling her facial expressions, and Megan flushed and squirmed uneasily. "I, um, I don't like being bald but it's uncomfortable wearing hats and wigs all the time and I already had some flower tattoos so..."

"Well, I think it's a splendid idea," Steve said with an encouraging, paternal smile and patted her hand. "I look forward to seeing them."

"I wish I could get some tattoos," said Edmond around a mouthful of brisket. "Someday I will. But not flowers."

"My mom says I can get my first protective sigil when I... when I'm a little older," Patrice said, biting her lip.

"Very wise of her," Steve said after a brief moment of confusion. Janice gradually nodded in comprehension, and Megan looked down at her plate before looking up with a fixed smile, while Edmond focused on the remains of his latkes.

"Are these a ritual food that you're only supposed to make for the holiday, or could I make it any time I want?" Edmond had made short work of his brisket and latkes and was eating his broccoli as slowly as good table manners allowed.

"They're okay for any time, right?" Janice looked at her stepfather for confirmation.

"That's right," he said with a warm smile, thankful for the change of subject. "It's traditional to eat foods fried in oil on Chanukah, but they're good any time of year."

"I'm going to try making them myself," Edmond said, noticing that everyone else was finished and hurriedly forcing down the last of his broccoli.

Patrice grinned at him. "Let me know if you want help," she said. "They're good!"

"Well if we've finished dinner, shall we light the menorah?" Steve stood and began picking up plates. "There's plenty of gelt to make playing dreidel interesting, and if I'm not mistaken you're all exchanging gifts."

There were, indeed, four piles of gifts in four different wrapping papers, a sight that made everyone grin and help clear the table, eager to see what they got and how everyone else liked their gifts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously the Palmer-Carlsberg household doesn't keep kosher, or there wouldn't be sour cream and brisket at the same meal! As for the challah, when I was researching wheat-free recipes I found out that only five grains can be the base of a bread for it to be challah - breads made with other grains could be kosher, but aren't technically challah. Most of the recipes I found centered on oat flour.
> 
> Yep, it's another short chapter - posting what I can while Chanukah lasts, and I just burned my hand making latkes so I wanted a little achievement to cheer me up :)


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve lights the menorah and Janice, Edmond, Patrice, and Megan exchange handmade gifts.

Janice's mother had bought the menorah at the antiques mall years ago; it was bronze, studded with tiny blue and green tiles and made Janice think about the ocean she'd only seen on television. She knew her uncle Cecil had the menorah that had belonged to the grandmother she'd never met, but never thought to ask why. Steve set up the candles and lit the shamash with the Zippo Janice had given him for his birthday.

"You use that one to light the other ones, right?" Edmond piped up.

"That's right. It's the helper candle." 

As he lit the other candle, Janice chanted the blessing with him. It always felt a little awkward to her the first few nights, when it lasted so much longer than lighting the candles. When they'd finished, she smiled eagerly. "It's my house so you should open my presents first!"

"That's not a very fair way to decide, Janice," Steve scolded gently. "I know you're excited but you should remember to consider what everyone wants."

"You're right," Janice said, looking embarrassed. "I should be a better hostess, and go last." Steve patted her warmly on the shoulder and her smile returned.

"Mine's kind of small," Edmond said. "If we open them first it won't be as disappointing."

"You shouldn't put yourself down," Steve said, although the packages Edmond handed out to Patrice, Megan, and Janice were indeed modestly-sized. "That's missing the point of sharing gifts with your friends."

"Megan should open hers first!" Patrice said, smiling wide enough to flash her braces. Everyone nodded in agreement, although none of them wanted to be the one to say why - it was Megan's first chance to unwrap presents.

Edmond handed Megan a near-flat box identical to the others. She was still clumsy at using her right hand, but she opened it slowly and neatly, trying not to tear the paper, and lifted the lid of the cardboard within. "Oh, this is - " she blinked quizzically, confused at first, lifting a square of fabric. "These are handkerchiefs, right? I love the colors!" It was indeed a set of four handkerchiefs, all tie-dyed in patterns of blue, green, and purple. "I love them, thank you!"

Edmond's gifts to Patrice and Janice were tie-dyed handkerchiefs as well; a riot of primary colors for Patrice, and shades of pink for Janice. He'd obviously been paying attention to his friends' favorite colors.

"Can I got next?" Megan asked shyly. "I'm so excited, it's hard to be patient!"

Patrice laughed. "I don't mind if Megan goes next, do any of you?"

Edmond and Janice shook their heads. Steve smiled from his seat at the table. Megan handed out heavy, awkwardly-wrapped packages to her friends. "Patrice, why don't you go first this time?"

Remembering the care with which Megan had opened Edmond's gift, Patrice opened the heavy package delicately, revealing a small pottery vase with a cobalt blue glaze. "Oh, I love it!" she exclaimed.

"I've been doing pottery to help my dexterity," Megan explained. "The inside is glazed too, so you can put water and flowers in it."

"I think daisies would look good," Patrice said, eyeing the rich blue glaze. "Who's next?"

"How about Edmond?" Janice suggested. She was enjoying the feeling of anticipation and wanted it to last a little longer.

Edmond nodded in agreement and took the lumpy package Megan handed him. He opened it with obvious eagerness, and grinned delightedly at the large, sturdy goblet. The glaze was black, with a barely-visible purple undertone, and looked like it belonged in a ritual circle.

"The glaze is waterproof and safe to drink out of, so you can do anything you want with it," Megan told him. While he was still examining his goblet with an increasingly thoughtful expression, Megan thrust the last of her parcels at Janice. "It's your turn now!"

Warmed by Megan's openly excited face, Janice took the gift with an answering smile and unwrapped it with care to reveal a low, sturdy pink-glazed bowl.

"It's for Tiffany!" Megan told her gleefully. She was fond of Janice's corn snake and pleased at the thought of being able to make a dish for her. Before her transplant, when she'd spend the night at Janice's house she would even sleep in the snake's cage, enjoying the tickle of its curious tongue and its smooth scales moving over her skin and curling up in the warm palm in her hand. "Is it okay if I hold her later?"

"She would never forgive me if I said no," Janice said. "But now it's Patrice's turn to hand out presents."

Patrice smiled. Hers were the neatest wrapped, in boxes as well as paper. "They're kind of the same, she said apologetically. "But I hope you like them. You can open them all together, I don't mind."

Edmond got his open first, and Janice and Megan paused briefly to look at what he'd received. It was wrapped in protective tissue; a chunky, somewhat irregularly shaped candle, black wax showing through a coating of sand, with a small bloodstone pressed into it.

"I made them out in the Sand Wastes," she said as Janice and Megan finished unwrapping theirs.

"I love it!" said Megan. "It feels interesting to hold and it'll be so pretty when it burns."

Edmond was looking from his candle to his goblet and back again with a faint grin and no one wanted to press him for details. He clearly had a use in mind for his gifts, though.

Janice examined her candle closely and with admiration. The bloodstone was almost perfectly round. "Patrice, it's wonderful!" She smiled widely, delighted. "And now it's my turn to hand out presents!" She was glad she had agreed to go last now. She could watch her friends open the gifts she'd made with no distraction. She handed out the soft, floppy packages she'd been so anxious to give to her friends. "I had a little help," she said. "I hope that's not cheating." She handed one to Patrice.

Patrice shrugged and grinned as she started opening it, and smiled broadly as she lifted a bundle of soft forest green cloth, unfolding it to reveal a velveteen tunic trimmed with gold braid. "Oh, it's so pretty!" she exclaimed. "I want to try it on now!"

Janice gestured toward the restroom down the hall. "I can't wait to see it on you!" She really couldn't, it had been the most difficult to make; Patrice was what the teacher referred to as 'blossoming early' so she'd made a point of giving it a generous cut and darts in the bodice, knowing she was a bit insecure.

The results, when Patrice returned, made Janice smile with satisfaction. The square neckline was modest without being dowdy, the fit generous without being oversized, and Patrice was practically glowing. She leaned over the back of Janice's chair to hug her from behind and murmur "It's so wonderful!" in her ear.

When Patrice slid away and sat down, Janice handed Edmond a soft package of his own. He opened it to show another pile of forest green velveteen. He tried holding it up to his torso and finally asked, "Is it all right if I try it on?" 

At Janice's nod, he vanished briefly and returned in his tunic. It was a slimmer cut with less gold braid and a mandarin collar, giving it an almost military look.

"Oooo, fancy," Patrice teased. "No, really, though. You look... Sophisticated, I guess."

"It makes you look older," Megan chimed in.

Janice basked for a while at the admiration Edmond's tunic was getting for a little while, then held up another soft package, this one a good deal larger than the others. "It's your turn, Megan," she said, trying not to look excited. She was really hoping Megan would like this.

As Megan opened her gift, Janice bit the inside of her lip. Edmond and Patrice blinked at the flood of green velveteen that tumbled out of the wrapping, and Megan gasped in delight when she had to stand up to hold it up to see it. It wasn't a tunic like Edmond or Patrice's, but a vintage style jumper scaled up to her 6' 10" frame, with eyelet trim on the collar and hemline. "Oh," she whispered, eyes glittering and moist. "Oh, Janice, this is... oh, I have to try it on!"

None of them were surprised when Megan ran for the bathroom, or that it took a while for her to return to show off her new garment, or the reddened state of her eyes they all knew better than to mention.

"You look beautiful," Edmond told her.

Patrice nodded. "When you get your tattoos you'll look like a walking garden!"

Janice tilted her head. "So you really like it?" She'd been worried that Megan might feel awkward in it.

"It's wonderful," Megan whispered, looking like she might tear up again.

Not wanting her friend to be embarrassed, Janice cleared her throat. "The candles are burned out," she said. "Why don't we go to my room and see how Tiffany likes the bowl Megan made her?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of this chapter was written before the episode "Antiques". I was originally planning a few more scenes, but at this point they're unlikely to be written in the way I was thinking of, so if I do write them it will be a separate story.

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter is awfully short, I know, but I'm a slow writer and I wanted to get at least the first part up during Chanukah!


End file.
